Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye agree to activate Makkah defence pact, extend military support to Riyadh

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye on Monday agreed to put their defence commitments under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement into immediate effect and move ahead with the military support pledged to Saudi Arabia, as the kingdom faces a wave of attacks on its cities.

The decision came at the inaugural session of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee (SPDC), the alliance’s top decision-making body, held in Riyadh, according to a joint statement released by the Foreign Office.

Pakistan’s delegation comprised Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. Saudi Arabia and Türkiye were represented by their foreign ministers, defence ministers and chiefs of general staff.

In a key appointment, the committee named Lieutenant General (retd) Nauman Mahmood of Pakistan as the alliance’s first secretary-general for a three-year term.

The three countries strongly condemned the attempted targeting of Makkah and Madinah, along with continuing strikes on civilian and economic sites in Riyadh, and rejected any threat to the kingdom’s security or territorial integrity.

According to the statement, the members stressed that the security of each country is inseparable from the collective security of all three. They said turning the pact into concrete action would lend credibility to their joint defence commitment, strengthen deterrence and underline their shared resolve to protect their sovereignty.

The committee also praised the Saudi armed forces for their readiness and professionalism in repelling the attacks. It endorsed the recommendations of political and military consultations held ahead of the meeting, describing the alliance as a firm commitment to “collective defence” and a unified response to threats.

The meeting comes amid escalating regional tensions, with a Saudi-led coalition reported to have joined a Yemeni government offensive against the Houthis.

Dar arrives in Riyadh

DPM Dar has already arrived in Riyadh for the key huddle, his office said.

According to the Foreign Office, he was received by Major General Othman Al-Zahrani of the Saudi Armed Forces, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmad Farooq, and Mr Haitham, Protocol Officer at the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Riyadh.

First SPDC meeting

This will be the first-ever . meeting of the strategic political and defense committee under the Makkah pact.

The session will bring together foreign ministers, defence ministers, and chiefs of general staff from Pakistan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye.

During the talks, the representatives will review regional developments and discuss ongoing trilateral cooperation under the Makkah Agreement.

The development comes a day after the leader of Yemen’s Saudi-backed government announced the beginning of a major military operation against the Houthis earlier on Sunday, aimed at seizing the territory under their control.

Pakistan’s foreign minister Dar said on Friday that Iran had suggested engaging Yemen’s Houthis politically after attacks by the group, an idea that the Makkah defence pact committee would discuss at a meeting in Riyadh this week.

The Foreign Office said Pakistan’s participation in the meeting today underscores its commitment to playing an active role in promoting regional peace and stability.

A day ago the Turkish foreign ministry also said that a committee of the Makkah defence pact between Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will hold talks in Riyadh on Monday, with Turkish ministers among those attending.

“The meeting will address recent developments in the region and the stage reached in the Alliance’s institutionalization efforts,” the Turkish statement said.

It said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yasar Guler and chief of the general staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu would attend the meeting of the pact’s strategic political and defence committee, along with officials from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.